


Promise Me

by MayorQueenie



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Angst, F/F, Falling In Love, Friendship/Love, Mother-Son Relationship
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-05-29
Updated: 2017-05-30
Packaged: 2018-11-06 14:12:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,063
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11037831
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MayorQueenie/pseuds/MayorQueenie
Summary: Set a year after Regina sends Emma and Henry over the town line in 3a. My way of them being together eventually. Inspired by the song Only You by Yazoo





	1. Chapter 1

**Flashback/thoughts

 

Everything she ever knew was rushing through her mind. Every fight they had over Henry. Every battle they had faced together. Every sleepless night worrying about what’s coming next. Every celebratory burger and hot chocolate at Granny’s. Everything she had been cursed to forget mixed with the new memories Regina gave her, and the memories she had made with Henry over the last year, made her feel sick to her stomach. She had made a very happy life for herself and Henry but she also had a pretty good life with everyone back in Storybrooke. At least when there weren't evil mothers hanging around and being sent to different realms every other week. But what is she supposed to do with both lives memories? How does she choose which life to go back to after this moment?

“Emma, do you…remember?” Hook looks at her with hope. Hoping that the woman he’s starting to fall in love with remembers him. 

“I…Yes, I remember. I’m sorry…I have to go. I have to…..Henry” 

“Emma wait” 

“No, I…Just…meet me at my apartment in an hour” Emma runs off around the corner leaving Hook to wait for her. 

 

** “Emma, you have to go. You have to take Henry now. There isn’t much time before the curse hits”

“But, Regina”

“No Emma, There isn’t time. You need to get in that…awful car of yours and go. It’s okay” They both smile at Regina’s comment. Emma knew she hated the car. That’s why she’s never gotten rid of it. Emma gets a kick out of knowing Regina hates it in her town so much. 

“What about you? What happens to you…and Snow, and Charming? Everyone?”

“I, don’t know Emma. But you’re the saviour and you need to save our son” Regina looks back and puts her hand out for Henry. 

“You’re going to take Henry, and have a good life. You’ll have always been together” Regina takes Emma’s hand too and places it with Henry’s. 

“I don’t want to leave you…all” Emma looks at Regina and then to her parents. If she was being honest, she wanted to know Regina wouldn’t be alone. All Regina has ever had is Henry. She didn’t want to take Henry away from her, no matter how much she wanted to only a year before. 

“I can’t believe I’m saying this, but, I don’t want you to leave either. You and Henry are the only ones in this town who believe in me. But you have to. It’s the only way” Regina lets go of Emma and Henry’s hands and looks down at the scroll she takes out of her pocket. 

“Henry, go wait in the car” Henry hugs Regina one last time and gets in the yellow death trap.

“You have to do something, Regina. Please” Regina looks at Emma with guilt in her eyes, shaking her head.

“Regina, don’t. Don’t blame yourself. I know that look, I know you. I know you blame yourself for all this but you can’t. This is not your fault” 

“But it is Emma”

“No. Regina, you’ve changed. You’re not the Evil Queen anymore” Emma takes Regina’s hand into hers.  
“I believe there is a reason for everything. And there was a reason you cursed everyone other than revenge and that was Henry. You were mean’t to find each other. You were the one meant to raise him, and you did a much better job than I could have ever done”. 

“Emma..”

“No Regina, its true. You will never understand how grateful I am for that. And Henry. He was meant to find that storybook and find me and bring me back to all of you. And now. There is a reason for this curse. But that reason is not you. You are not to blame for this. We will get through this, just like everything else”.

“EMMA, you need to go. Now” Snow shouted from behind them. The curse was getting closer and there was about a minute before it hit the town line. 

“Regina, promise me you will find us” 

“I..” Regina couldn’t do that. She didn’t know what was going to happen to her once the curse hits. But at least she knew Emma and Henry would be okay. She made sure of that. 

“I know. But I need to hear you say it. Promise me” The look Emma gave Regina was what made Regina fall in love with her right there. Emma knew Regina couldn’t promise her anything, but she needed Regina to say it. She needed to hear those words. She needed to hear those words from the woman who changed her life in all the best ways. 

“I promise” 

“I believe in you”. Emma took one last look at Regina, let go of her hand, and got in the car. As she hit the gas Henry turned around in his seat to look back at Regina and the rest of his family being hit by the curse. 

“You love her don’t you” 

“What?”

“Regina. Mom. You love her. Don't you?”

“I…I think so kid” And they drove over the town line forgetting everything they had ever known. **

 

20 minutes Emma has been stood outside the school gates. Going over and over everything that happened that day. 

“Emma? Is everything okay?…Emma?” The hand on her shoulder brings her out of the world in her head that she’s been living in for the past 20 minutes. 

“Mrs Parker, I’m sorry. Hi”

“Emma, what are you doing here? You know It’s only 12.30 right?”

“Erm…Oh yes, we’ve had a family emergency. I’m going to need to take Henry out of school for a couple of days. His…erm. His Grandma is very sick. Can I?… Actually, could you? Could you get him for me?” Emma slightly shaking, prompting Henrys teacher to put her arm around Emma’s shoulders. 

“Of course I can…You just sit right there and I’ll be out with him in a few minutes” Mrs Parker leads Emma towards the bench just right to the school gates before she heads off inside. 

What am I doing? Am I really going back there? Henry. He doesn’t remember, what am I supposed to tell him? 

“Mom, hey, what’s wrong? Why are you here?” Emma hugs him like she’s never hugged him before, prompting him to be even more worried. 

“Hey kid. I’m taking you on an impromptu long weekend away”

“Okayy…but what about school? Mom, are you in trouble? is this part of your job?”

“No, Henry, everything’s fine, I'm fine. I just..Yes, I got a phone call l from an old friend and he needs help with something, so yes it’s for my job and I figured we could make a long weekend out of it” 

“Oh, erm okay cool. Where are we going?”

“Maine. C’mon kid, lets go” 

Emma and Henry make it back to their apartment where Hook is waiting. Emma has no idea how to introduce Henry to him. With, you know, him having a Hook for a hand. 

“Henry, I’d like you to meet Killian. This…is…the old friend I was telling you about”

“Hi, nice to meet you” Henry holds out his hand to shake Hooks…well…Hook. 

Henry leans over to Emma “Mom, why does he have a hook for a hand?” 

“He…erm…he likes to dress up. That’s kinda part of the job this weekend. I’ll tell you later. Why don’t you go pack up a few things and I’ll be there in a sec” Henry makes his way inside to pack up a bag while Emma shuts the door so Henry can’t hear. 

“Really Hook, you couldn’t have gotten rid of that thing while I told Henry everything?”

“Swan, I’m sorry, I didn’t think…”

“No, you never do do you? What were you thinking coming here? We shouldn’t be going back there, not without Henry remembering. He’s gonna ask so many questions that I can’t answer. Why did you come here? How did you even get here” 

“I came here for you. I need you. They all need you. It was pretty easy actually. I found a magic bean, hopped on the Jolly Roger and ended up here. It was…too easy, actually. But what does that even matter love, you remember, and now we can go home” 

“Don’t call me love. You don’t get to do that. And this is home…or at least it was. For a while. Oh my god”

“What Swan?”

“What happened to everyone else? Do they remember? What happened to them when the curse hit?” Emma sat on the steps up to her apartment, shaking. Scared. Scared of what she would find when she got back to Storybrooke. 

“I don’t know. But if I wasn’t affected, then I'm sure everyone else is fine”. Hook sits next to her and places his hand on her arm. 

Emma jumps up not wanting him to touch her like that. “But what if they were?. Just…wait here and I’ll be out in ten” Emma makes her way inside to pack her things and make sure Henry has everything he needs. She needs to get back there fast. She needs to know if everyone is okay. Her parents. Regina. 

“Regina”. She sinks down onto the bed trying to compose herself before she has to take the long drive back to, well, whatever she was about to find back in Storybrooke.

 

Seven hours later and they’re stopped at the town line.

“Mom. What’s wrong? Why have you stopped?” Henry sits forward in the back seat resting his hand on Emma’s shoulder. “Mom?”

“Sorry, I just need a second kid. It’s…been a while since I’ve been here”

“And where is here may I ask?”

“Storybrooke” Emma and Hook look at each other hoping Henry doesn’t ask any more questions. Neither one of them want to lie to him anymore than they have to. 

“Cool name for a town. Can we get going, i’m kinda tired. Where are we staying?” 

Emma starts the car up and starts to cross the town line. “Granny’s. We’ll be staying at Granny’s” 

“Granny’s? As in grandma?” 

“Oh, no Henry, it’s a Bed and Breakfast. She makes the best grilled cheese” Emma smiling to herself, thinking with her stomach. Nothing unusual there. 

“Here we are”. Emma stops the car and gets out, pushing her chair back to let a tired Henry out. “Killian, could you get Henry a room and take him up. There’s something I need to do. I won’t be too long” 

“Mom?” 

“Hey, its okay, go with Killian, he’ll show you to your room. I’ll come check on you later”. 

“Okay” Henry follows Hook into Granny’s as Emma gets back in the bug and drives down main street. 

A few minutes later Emma stops outside the one place she never thought she’d ever see again as she crossed over that town line a year ago. There’s a light on in the office. Of course, Emma thinks. Always working. At least one thing hasn’t changed around here. It takes her a good ten minutes to pluck up the courage to even get out the car, never mind walk up to the front door and knock. But that’s exactly what she did. She didn’t realise how far she had gone until the door started to open. Definitely no turning back now. 

“Regina”.


	2. Chapter 2

“Emma?”

“Oh my god you remember?” 

“Yes. But….more importantly you remember” Regina’s whole body sunk, like she’d been holding herself up for so long, just waiting for Emma and Henry to come back. 

“I do”

Emma didn’t know what to do. All she wanted to do was hug Regina but they’d never been the type of people to hug each other. They had not been ‘real’ friends for very long. It was never a thing they did. But now, that’s all Emma wanted to do. 

And she did. 

She was wary at first, but Regina didn’t pull away. In fact it was Regina that pulled Emma in harder. But Regina suddenly has a realisation and started to reluctantly pull away. 

“Henry. Where’s Henry?”

“Regina, maybe you should sit down” Emma took Regina into the living room and sat her down. This was a conversation Emma wishes she didn’t have to have.

“Please Emma just tell me. Is he okay?” Regina started to shake. She couldn’t imagine living any longer without Henry. 

“Oh, yes Regina, Henry is fine. I dropped him off at Granny’s with Hook”. Emma placed a comforting hand on Regina’s to try and calm her down. "It’s just…he doesn’t remember” 

Emma saw the tears form in Regina’s eyes, with one tear making its way down her cheek. “I’m sorry” They’re all the words Emma could put together in that moment. She had no way of making this better for Regina. All she could do was hold Regina’s hand for comfort. 

Somehow they had both leaned back into the couch, just sat there in silence, not knowing what to say to each other. Ten minutes passed before Emma said anything. 

“You promised”. 

“Excuse me?” Regina had no idea what Emma was referring to. Emma’s tone making it seem like she blamed Regina for something. All of a sudden her defences were back up, tensely sitting forward. 

“That day. You promised you’d find us. I was pretty surprised it was Hook that turned up on my door. He’s never been the smartest one out of us” 

All Regina could do was laugh. 

“What?” Emma suddenly sitting up to meet Regina’s laugh. 

“Who do you think sent the one handed wonder in the first place?”

“Wait, you sent him?” 

“I did. There’s a technicality within the new curse that makes anyone with magic unable to cross the town line. Whoever made the curse did not want me leaving this town. Why does it always come back to me?” Regina placed her head in her hands, rubbing at her temples. 

“Regina stop. Like I said before I left, this is not your fault. I do have a question though, why send Hook and not my parents?” 

“Ah, I was hoping you wouldn’t ask that” Regina stood up turning away from Emma. 

“Why?” 

“Because I didn’t tell them about the potion, or that I found a way for any of us to leave Storybrooke” Regina slowly turned back to face Emma hoping she wouldn’t hate her.

“You didn’t tell them? Why wouldn’t you tell them?” 

“Because I didn’t want to get their hopes up. I had no idea that if anyone actually crossed the town line wether they would remember anything and I couldn’t risk that with them, even if they have been annoying me with their hope speeches this whole time”

“So you sent Hook?” Emma couldn’t help but laugh. 

“You know I’ve never liked Captain guy liner. Him and his doe-eyed longing looks at you really started to get irritating. Anyway, he seemed the best bet at the time. I wasn’t really thinking about the consequences. I just wanted him to find Henry. And you” Regina started to become a little embarrassed at what just came out of her mouth. 

“Well, that he did. And he doesn’t give me doey eyes” All Regina could do was roll her eyes.

A few seconds passed, “Wait. Why doesn’t Henry remember?” 

“Hook only had one vile. Just enough for me”

“That’s not right. I gave him two. There was enough for both of you”

“Regina I’m sorry, he only had one vile” 

“That piece of….” Regina couldn’t finish her sentence before she ran out the door in search of the pirate. 

“Regina wait, where are you gong?” All Emma could do was follow Regina. When Regina wanted something, or someone, she usually got it. Except for Snow Whites hears of course. She was going to find Hook if it was the last thing she was going to do. 

Regina burst through the door at Granny’s diner stunning Emma who was right behind her, stopping just as she noticed Hook sat with Henry. As soon as Regina saw Henry she turned around and ran back out. 

“Mom, who was that?” Henry walked up to Emma who was confused at what to do right about now. 

“She’s just an old friend. She’s a little upset about something. Just give me ten minutes. Finish your dinner and then make your way to your room please” Henry went and sat back down. “You, you’re coming with me” Emma grabbed Hook by the…hook and dragged him outside. 

Regina was stood by the archway head in her hands. 

“What’s going on?” Hook started before finding himself being punched straight in the face by Regina. 

“I GAVE YOU TWO VILES. ENOUGH FOR BOTH OF THEM. WHAT THE HELL DID YOU DO” Regina walking now even closer to Hook making him stumble back towards the diner. 

“Oh, that. I dropped one of them” Hook then found him self being held by the lapels of his leather jacket and pushed into the wall. 

“YOU DROPPED ONE OF THEM? WHAT KIND OF EXCUSE IS THAT” Regina was surprisingly strong being able to keep Hook in his place. Something Emma knew all too well when Regina punched her not so long ago. 

“I got drunk when I couldn’t find Emma, got into an altercation, and I dropped one of them” Hook had never spoken so fast in his life, but Regina was starting to hurt him. 

“YOU GOT DRUNK? YOU HAD ONE JOB” Regina grabbed him even harder and threw him to the ground. 

Emma now ran towards them both pulling Regina away. “Okay I think that’s enough for now. I know you’re angry, and no mater how…amusing, that, was, this isn’t helping anyone” 

Suddenly the door to the diner flew open and all three of them turned their heads. There stood a shocked Henry looking on at the scene in front of him. 

“Henry” Regina said under her breath, tears starting to form. Emma moved in front of Regina to block her sight of Henry before she does anything more to spook the boy. 

“Regina, go home. I’ll be right behind you” It took a few seconds for Regina to actually move but she slowly made her way home crying. 

“Mom, what’s going on?” 

“That… that was my old friend Regina. She’s part of the reason why I came back here, but everything’s okay, I promise. C’mon lets get you to your room, it’s getting late” 

“But what about Killian, is he okay?” Hook got up off the floor and dusted himself off. 

Emma gave Hook the dirtiest of looks. If she didn’t like him before, she definitely doesn’t like him very much right now. “He’ll be fine, c’mon kid”. 

Emma took Henry up to his room and made sure he was settled. “Now, try and get some sleep, and maybe i’ll let you have ice cream for lunch tomorrow after a crazy day today”

“Really?” 

“Really. Now if you need anything just call me. I don’t want you leaving this room okay?”

“Okay” Emma gave Henry a kiss on the head and left him to sleep.

As Emma had ran after Regina earlier on in the night her bug was still at the mansion, which meant she had time to think about what her next move would be with Regina and the whole, Henry not remembering situation. By the time she got to the front door of Regina’s she realised all she thought about was Regina’s comment about Hooks doey eyes. Does he really do that? Does he like me? Do I like him? 

She didn’t have time to answer those questions right now. She walked straight into the mansion without a second thought. “Regina??” 

“Regina?” Emma walked through to the living room, then the kitchen, then saw that the door to her office was slightly open. Of course. 

Emma opened the door to see a broken Regina on the floor, back to the couch, with an open bottle of, what Emma really would call the best apple cider she’s ever tasted. 

“Can I?” 

All Regina could do was pass the bottle to Emma, giving her the yes to sit down. There weren’t any words needed for either of them at this moment. Emma knew Regina was one to keep her emotions to herself and didn’t want to push her. She would let Regina talk in her own time. 

“How is he?” 

“Who Hook? He’s fine, he’ll have a bruise tomorrow though. Nothing a bottle of rum can’t sort out” Emma knew Regina wasn’t asking about Hook, but she wanted to try and make light of the situation. Regina gave the the stare of a lioness about to jump to protect her cub. 

“He’s fine. I put him to bed. He’s probably sleeping. I have no Idea what i’m going to say to him tomorrow though” Emma took one long drink from the bottle before handing it back to Regina. 

“I’m sorry” Regina took a sip from the bottle and bowed her head, knowing what she did was wrong. She’d come so far, and she didn’t want to fall back into her old ways. For Henry. 

“For what?” Regina just looked at Emma, knowing full well Emma knew what she was apologising for. 

“Don’t, its okay. And like I said, a bottle of rum will take the edge off. You have nothing to be sorry for. He’s the one that screwed all this up”

“There’s something else” Regina took the last sip of the bottle and placed in on the table in front of them. 

“What do you mean?” 

“The potion. I only made enough for the both of you. It took me so long to make something that I thought would work that I used the last of the ingredients” 

“Regina, what are you saying?” Emma turned her body towards Regina, wishing she wasn't about to hear what she thought she was going to. 

“I’m saying I can’t make anymore Emma. I’m saying I can’t make Henry remember” Regina bursts into tears and all Emma could do was grab her, and hug her. Their second hug of the day. This was becoming the best and worst day all at once. 

It took nearly ten minutes for Regina to finally calm down and untangle herself from Emma. Regina looked up at Emma with what could only be comfort in her eyes. No matter what these two women have been through and how much they hated each other when they first met, this moment felt right, comfortable, and a long time overdue. 

“What do we do now?” Emma wished she could have answered that. She wanted so very much to make everything right. 

“I don’t know. But maybe we can move to the couch because you’re floors may be shiny, but they’re not comfortable” Emma stands, holding out her hand for Regina and she pulls them both to sit back down. 

“Why don’t you meet him tomorrow?” Regina looks at Emma stunned. How could she meet him and have to act like she doesn’t know who he is. 

“Emma, I can’t. It’s too hard” 

“Just, think about it okay. He’ll have a million questions about who you are. At least if he meets you he might understand why I’m here. I told him I was here to help an old friend. He thinks that’s Hook, but I think there’s someone more important that needs help” Regina didn’t know how to respond to that. She’s never felt important to anyone other than her father, and she took that for granted. She wanted to stay in this moment forever.

“I should probably go, it’s late” Emma went to stand up but got pulled back. 

“Please stay. Just for a little while” It would never take much convincing for Emma to do anything for Regina.

“Of course. But only if you have some…un poisoned, apple turnovers laying around” 

Regina gets up and makes her way to the kitchen, a confused Emma following behind. Emma stopped in her tracks when she saw Regina stood by the island, beaming, holding a batch of apple turnovers. “It’s like I just knew you were coming home” 

Home. Emma thought. Home is exactly where she was.


End file.
